Philosophers
90-823: The Kingdom of the Isles , also known as Sodor was a Norse-Gaelic kingdom comprising the Isle of Man , the Hebrides and the islands of the Clyde from the 9th to the 13th centuries AD. The islands were known to the Norsemen as the Suðreyjar , or "Southern Isles" as distinct from the Norðreyjar or Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland . In Scottish Gaelic , the kingdom is known as Rìoghachd nan Eilean . The territory
180-616: A common name for a Viking. Somerled met his death in 1164, possibly assassinated in his tent as he camped near Renfrew during an invasion of the Scottish mainland. At this point Godred re-took possession of his pre-1158 territories and the southern isles were distributed amongst Somerled's sons as previously agreed: Dubgall received Mull, Coll , Tiree and Jura ; Islay and Kintyre went to Raghnall ; Bute to Aonghas , with Arran possibly divided between him and Reginald. Dugall and Raghnall at least were styled "Kings of
270-535: A distinct group. However, they left a lasting influence, especially in the Isle of Man and Outer Hebrides , where most placenames are of Norse–Gaelic origin. Several Scottish clans have Norse–Gaelic roots, such as Clan MacDonald , Clan Gunn , Clan MacDougall and Clan MacLeod . The elite mercenary warriors known as the gallowglass ( gallóglaigh ) emerged from these Norse–Gaelic clans and became an important part of Irish warfare. The Viking longship also influenced
360-690: A dozen years as a result. In 1098, Edgar of Scotland signed a treaty with Magnus that settled much of the boundary between the Scots and Norwegian claims in the islands. Edgar formally acknowledged the existing situation by giving up his claims to the Hebrides and Kintyre. A second expedition in 1102 saw incursions into Ireland; the Heimskringla saga reports that he obtained Muirchertach Ua Briain 's daughter Bjaðmunjo in marriage to his young son, Sigurd , whom he then left in nominal charge of
450-464: A future King of the Isles by "Thorfinn, son of Ottar". When Godred heard of this he engaged Somerled's forces in the naval Battle of Epiphany in 1156. There was no clear victor, but it was subsequently agreed that Godred would remain the ruler of Man, the northern Inner Hebrides and the Outer Hebrides, whilst Somerled's young sons would nominally control the southern Inner Hebrides, Kintyre and
540-689: A matter of debate amongst historians. Prior to the Viking incursions the southern Hebrides formed part of the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata (or Dalriada). North of Dál Riata , the Inner and Outer Hebrides were nominally under Pictish control although the historical record is sparse. According to Ó Corráin (1998) "when and how the Vikings conquered and occupied the Isles is unknown, perhaps unknowable", although from 793 onwards repeated raids by Vikings on
630-642: A name for Norway. It has its Scottish clan home on eastern Loch Fyne under Strathlachlan forest. The name and variations thereof are common from this mid/southern Scottish area to Irish Donegal to the extreme west. It is recorded in the Landnámabók that there were papar or culdees (Gaelic monks) in Iceland before the Norse. This appears to tie in with comments of Dicuil and is given weight by recent archaeological discoveries. The settlement of Iceland and
720-752: A name preserved in a corrupted form in the Dublin area known as Oxmantown which comes from Austmanna-tún (homestead of the Eastmen). In contrast, they called Gaels Vestmenn (West-men) (see Vestmannaeyjar and Vestmanna ). Other terms for the Norse–Gaels are Norse-Irish , Hiberno-Norse or Hiberno-Scandinavian for those in Ireland, and Norse-Scots or Scoto-Norse for those in Scotland. The Norse–Gaels originated in Viking colonies of Ireland and Scotland,
810-549: A naval battle off the Isle of Man. The first four decades of the 10th century are an obscure period so far as the Hebrides are concerned. It is possible that Ragnall ua Ímair , who probably ruled Mann during this period may have had some influence. However, Amlaíb Cuarán is the next King of the Isles on record. After the death of Amlaíb mac Gofraid in 941, Amlaíb Cuarán became King of Northumbria and probably succeeded his cousin Amlaíb as King of Mann. The former
900-462: A pilgrimage to Jerusalem , where he died. Lagmann abdicated during his surviving son Olave's minority, and either by force or the invitation of the nobility of the Isles Domnall mac Taidc Ua Briain (Domnall MacTade O'Brien), a grandson of Echmarcach mac Ragnaill, became overlord of the isles in 1111. Whatever his route to accession, he proved to be an unpopular tyrant and was expelled by
990-499: A rapid and decisive response from Norway. A high level of political instability is suggested by the battle fought on the Isle of Man at Santwat in 1098. This was internal strife between the men of the north of the island under Jarl Óttar , and the southerners led by a man named MacManus or Macmaras. Perhaps as a result of general disorder in the islands, and to counter Irish influence there, Magnus Barefoot had re-established direct Norwegian overlordship by 1098. He first took Orkney,
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#17327809614501080-547: A son or nephew of Imar mac Arailt , King of Dublin and by extension a descendant of Amlaíb Cuarán . He was a survivor of Harald Hardraade 's defeat at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066 and fled from there to Man. Little is then heard of him until he succeeded in taking the island from Fingal in 1079, possibly with the help of troops from the Western Isles. The ancestor of many of the succeeding rulers of Mann and
1170-435: A spoken language in the southern Hebrides throughout the Norse settlement period, but place-name evidence suggests it had a lowly status. The obliteration of pre-Norse names is almost total. There is little continuity of style between Pictish pottery in the north and that of the early Viking period. The similarities that do exist suggests the later pots may have been made by Norse who had settled in Ireland, or by Irish slaves. In
1260-401: A story created in later days to legitimise Norwegian claims to sovereignty in the region". There are similar problems with the provenance of Gofraid mac Fergusa , the supposed 9th-century ruler of the Hebrides and ancestor of Clan Donald . It has been suggested that his appearance looks "very much like the product of fourteenth-century propagandists from Clann Donald". In 870 Dumbarton
1350-650: A young man to the Faroe Islands by way of Viking Ireland, and local tradition has it that he settled at Funningur in Eysturoy. Heinrich Zimmer (1891) suggested that the Fianna Cycle of Irish mythology came from the heritage of the Norse–Gaels. He suggested the name of the heroic fianna was an Irish rendering of Old Norse fiandr "enemies", and argued that this became "brave enemies" > "brave warriors". He also noted that Finn 's Thumb of Knowledge
1440-449: Is a high degree of cultural unity, along with sufficient political fragmentation that the high king's subordinates style themselves kings. In this respect, high kingships frequently differ from empires , which are culturally as well as politically heterogeneous, as well as from feudal monarchies, where the subordinate rulers take lesser titles (such as duke or count ) and may be, at least in theory, subject to appointment and dismissal by
1530-582: Is elusive, although the modern-day Diocese of Sodor and Man retains the centuries-old name. Norse-Gaelic The Norse–Gaels ( Old Irish : Gall-Goídil ; Irish : Gall-Ghaeil ; Scottish Gaelic : Gall-Ghàidheil , 'foreigner-Gaels'; Old Norse : Gaddgeðlar ) were a people of mixed Gaelic and Norse ancestry and culture. They emerged in the Viking Age , when Vikings who settled in Ireland and in Scotland became Gaelicised and intermarried with Gaels . The Norse–Gaels dominated much of
1620-577: Is known that he had married Ragnhildis , daughter of Olave the Red and Godred's half-sister. It is possible that Somerled first found favour with Olave by helping him wrest control of the northern Hebrides from the Earls of Orkney, whose influence had once more spread into the Sudreys. Somerled's popularity led to his son with Ragnhildis , Dubgall , being heralded throughout the Isles (save Man itself) as
1710-506: Is not clear if this was a completely new term or had originally been used earlier, perhaps to refer to Amlaíb Cuarán 's island kingdom. The complex geography of western Scotland and the lack of written records makes certainty about the extent and nature of these kingdoms hard to fathom. For example, the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba indicates that almost all these kings who reigned from
1800-566: Is not extensive, and knowledge of the daily lives of the population is lacking. It is known that the Hebrides were taxed using the Ounceland system and evidence from Bornais suggests that settlers there may have been more prosperous than families of a similar status in the Northern Isles, possibly owing to a more relaxed political regime. Latterly, the Hebrides sent eight representatives from Lewis, Harris and Skye and another eight from
1890-565: Is recorded as being the Rex plurimarum insularum , suggesting he may have been the first King of both Mann and the Western Isles of Scotland. Amlaíb , who died some four decades later in 980 or 981 whilst in "religious retirement" on Iona, was succeeded by Maccus mac Arailt , who was probably his nephew. Maccus 's brother Gofraid mac Arailt then succeeded him. During their lifetimes these two "sons of Harald" are known to have launched at least two major expeditions against Ireland, and
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#17327809614501980-405: Is relatively scant, particularly in comparison to the numerous Neolithic and Iron Age finds in the area. Scholarly interpretations of the period "have led to widely divergent reconstructions of Viking Age Scotland" and Barrett (2008) has identified four competing theories, none of which he regards as proven. It is clear that the word "king", as used by and of the rulers of Norwegian descent in
2070-609: Is similar to the Norse tale Fáfnismál . Linguist Ranko Matasović , author of the Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic , derives the name fíanna from reconstructed Proto-Celtic *wēnā (a troop ), while linguist Kim McCone derives it from Proto-Celtic *wēnnā (wild ones). Even today, many surnames particularly connected with Gaeldom are of Old Norse origin, especially in the Hebrides and Isle of Man. Several Old Norse words also influenced modern Scots English and Scottish Gaelic, such as bairn (child) from
2160-568: Is sometimes called the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles , although only some of the later rulers claimed that title. The historical record is incomplete, and the kingdom was not a continuous entity throughout the entire period. At times the rulers were independent of external control, although for much of the period they had overlords in Norway, Ireland, England, Scotland or Orkney. At times there also appear to have been competing claims for all or parts of
2250-546: Is subject to a large range of variations depending on chronological and geographical differences in the Gaelic language , e.g. Gall Gaidel, Gall Gaidhel, Gall Gaidheal, Gall Gaedil, Gall Gaedhil, Gall Gaedhel, Gall Goidel, Gall Ghaedheil, etc. The modern term in Irish is Gall-Ghaeil or Gall-Ghaedheil, while the Scottish Gaelic is Gall-Ghàidheil. The Norse–Gaels often called themselves Ostmen or Austmen, meaning East-men,
2340-563: Is usually limited, and in some high kingships his duties are largely ceremonial or restricted to occasions such as war that create a need for a unified command structure. Rulers who have been termed "high king" (by their contemporaries or by modern observers) include: In Imperial Germany , the German Emperor ( Deutscher Kaiser ), who was also the King of Prussia , could be considered a contemporary "high king", as he held seniority over
2430-544: The Orkneyinga Saga , which should be treated with care as it was based on oral traditions and not written down by an Icelandic scribe until the early 13th century. The English and Irish sources are more contemporary, but may have "led to a southern bias in the story", especially as much of the Hebridean archipelago became Norse-speaking during the period under consideration. The archaeological record for this period
2520-538: The Orkneyinga Saga once again becomes the main source of information about the north. In 990 Sigurd the Stout , Earl of Orkney took control of the Hebrides, and placed a jarl called Gilli in charge. By 1004 the isles' independence had been re-asserted under Gofraid 's son Ragnal mac Gofraid , who died in that year. It is possible their rule overlapped, with Gilli 's zone of influence to
2610-787: The Conference of Rulers (through informal agreement, on a rotational basis). In practice, however, the term "high king" is rarely applied to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (king). Adhiraja or Adiraja is the comparable term of high king in the Indian subcontinent . The maharaja and maharajadhiraja could possibly be rendered as "high king" since it was a result of title inflation which soon led to most being rather mediocre or even petty in real power, which led to compound titles (among other efforts) being used in an attempt to distinguish some among their ranks. Taewang , meaning "greatest of kings",
2700-750: The Faroe Islands by the Norse included many Norse–Gael settlers as well as slaves and servants. They were called Vestmen (Western men), and the name is retained in Vestmanna in the Faroes and the Vestmannaeyjar off the Icelandic mainland. A number of Icelandic personal names are of Gaelic origin, including Njáll , Brjánn , Kjartan and Kormákur (from Niall , Brian , Muircheartach and Cormac ). Patreksfjörður , an Icelandic village,
2790-576: The Firth of Clyde , Norse burials have been found on Arran, although not on Bute, and place-name evidence suggests a settlement pattern that was much less well-developed than in the Hebrides. There are numerous Manx Runestones and place names of Norse origin on the Isle of Man. Initially a pagan culture, detailed information about the return of the Christian religion to the islands during the Norse-era
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2880-507: The High King of Ireland , who took possession of Mann and the Isles until his death in 1072. Godred Sitricson and his son Fingal Godredson then ruled in Mann at least, but the records for the rulers of the Hebrides remain obscure until the arrival of Godred Crovan . "Crovan" probably means "white hand" although the reason is unknown and his origins are also uncertain. Godred may have been
2970-620: The Irish Sea and Scottish Sea regions from the 9th to 12th centuries . They founded the Kingdom of the Isles (which included the Hebrides and the Isle of Man ), the Kingdom of Dublin , the Lordship of Galloway (which is named after them), and briefly (939–944 AD) ruled the Kingdom of York . The most powerful Norse–Gaelic dynasty were the Uí Ímair or House of Ivar. Over time, the Norse–Gaels became ever more Gaelicised and disappeared as
3060-576: The Kingdom of Alba , whilst the Kings of Mann and the North Isles were vassals of the Kings of Norway. However, both during and after Somerled's life the Scottish monarchs sought to take control of the islands he and his descendants held. Diplomacy having failed to achieve much, in 1249 Alexander II took personal command of a large fleet that sailed from the Firth of Clyde and anchored off the island of Kerrera . Alexander became ill and died there, but
3150-447: The islands of Scotland including the Hebrides of the west coast, and the Northern Isles. Harald pursued his enemies and incorporated the Northern Isles into his kingdom in 875 and then, perhaps a little over a decade later, the Hebrides as well. The following year the local Viking chieftains of the Hebrides rebelled. Harald then sent Ketill Flatnose to subdue them, which he did quickly, but then he declared himself an independent "King of
3240-418: The 10th century. An invasion by Magnus Barefoot in the late 11th century resulted in a brief period of direct Norwegian rule over the kingdom, but soon the descendants of Godred Crovan re-asserted a further period of largely independent overlordship. This came to an end with the emergence of Somerled , on whose death in 1164 the kingdom was split in two. Just over a century later, the islands became part of
3330-503: The 9th century, the first references to the Gallgáedil ( i.e. , "foreign Gaels") appear. This term was variously used in succeeding centuries to refer to individuals of mixed Scandinavian–Celtic descent and/or culture who became dominant in southwest Scotland, parts of northern England and the isles. According to the Orkneyinga Saga , in about 872 Harald Fairhair became king of a united Norway and many of his opponents fled to
3420-527: The British Isles are recorded. "All the islands of Britain" were devastated in 794 with Iona being sacked in 802 and 806. Various named Viking leaders, who were probably based in Scotland, appear in the Irish annals: Soxulfr in 837 , Turges in 845 and Hákon in 847 . Another early reference to the Norse presence in the Irish records is that there was a king of "Viking Scotland" whose heir, Thórir , took an army to Ireland in 848. In
3510-470: The Gaelic birlinn and longa fada , which were used extensively until the 17th century. Norse–Gaelic surnames survive today and include Doyle , MacIvor , MacAskill , and [Mac]Cotter . The meaning of Gall-Goídil is 'Foreign[er] Gaels' and although it can in theory mean any Gael of foreign origin, it was used of Gaels (i.e. Gaelic-speakers) with some kind of Norse identity. This term
3600-577: The Highlanders and " Bitling " to the Norwegians, the latter apparently on account of his small size. He had spent time at the court of Henry I of England , who may have encouraged his ambitions in an attempt to minimise Ui Briain dominance over the Irish Sea and environs. Olave reigned for forty years, managing to maintain a degree of peace and stability throughout. Nevertheless, the era
3690-541: The Isle of Man in 877 and they certainly held it by 900. In 902 the Vikings were expelled from Dublin for up to a dozen years, and a year later Ímar , the "grandson of Ímar " was killed in battle with the forces of Constantine II in mainland Scotland. However these events were setbacks for the Norse rather than a definitive moment. Internecine fighting is recorded in the Annals of Ulster of 914, which describe Ragnall ua Ímair 's defeat of Bárid mac Oitir in
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3780-480: The Isles on the basis of their descent through their mother Ragnhilt" and that their claim "to royal status was based on its position as a segment of Uí Ímair ". This prince of Argyll is one of the best known historical figures from the Gàidhealtachd of Scotland, and is known in Gaelic as Somairle mac Gille Brigte , although his Norse name, Somarlidi , has the literal meaning of "summer traveller",
3870-469: The Isles", a title he retained for the rest of his life. Ketill is also sometimes equated with Caittil Find , a reported leader of the Gallgáedil fighting in Ireland in 857, although this connection is far from definite. Ketill left no successors and there is little record of the succeeding four decades. However, Woolf (2007) suggests that his appearance in the sagas "looks very much like
3960-623: The Isles". However, their descendants do not seem to have held this title and The Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys lamented that Somerled's marriage to Ragnhildis "was the cause of the ruin of the whole kingdom of the Isles". Somerled's descendants eventually became known as the Lords of the Isles , with Dubgall giving rise to Clan MacDougall , and Raghnall to Clan Donald and Clan Macruari . Aonghas and his three sons were killed on Skye in 1210. In theory Somerled and his descendants' island territories were subject to Norway and his mainland ones to
4050-442: The Isles, he also became King of Dublin, but no contemporary source refers either to him or any of his predecessors as "King of Mann and the Isles" as such. He was eventually ousted from Dublin by Muirchertach Ua Briain and fled to Islay, where he died in the plague of 1095. It is not clear the extent to which Ui Briain dominance was now asserted in the islands north of Man, but growing Irish influence in these seas brought
4140-541: The Isles. In the same source Amlaíb Conung is also recorded as having gone to the aid of his father Gofraidh , who was under assault from Vikings in Lochlainn in about 872. Gofraidh died in 873 and may have been succeeded briefly by Ímar who also died that year. Amlaíb probably died in 874. A lament for Áed mac Cináeda , a Pictish king who died in 878, suggests Kintyre may have been lost to his kingdom at that time. The Norse may have taken
4230-577: The Islesmen after two years, fleeing to Ireland. Two years later Sigurd attempted to appoint Ingemund (whose background is unknown) to take possession of the kingdom of the Isles. However, when Ingemund arrived on Lewis he sent messengers to all the chiefs of the Isles to summon them to assemble and declare him king. In the meantime he and his followers spent the time in "plundering and revelling. They violated girls and matrons, and gave themselves up to every species of pleasure amid sensual gratification. When
4320-582: The Kingdom of Scotland as a result of the 1266 Treaty of Perth . In Man, having overcome his usurper brother Ragnald who reigned for a brief time in 1164, Godred the Black resumed his kingship of Mann and the North Isles. On his death in 1187, the kingship passed to his eldest son, Raghnall mac Gofraidh , rather than his chosen successor, Olaf the Black (Raghnall's half-brother), who instead became overlord of Lewis. In 1228, Olaf battled Raghnall at Tynwald and
4410-439: The Kingdom of Scotland, following the 1266 Treaty of Perth . The principal islands under consideration are as follows: These islands, often referred to as the Sudreys, have a total land area of approximately 8,374 square kilometres (3,233 sq mi) of which: Anglesey in modern Wales may also have been part of the insular Viking world from an early stage. Orkney is some 180 kilometres (110 mi) east-northeast of
4500-756: The Norse barn (a word still used in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland). High king Works A high king is a king who holds a position of seniority over a group of other kings, without the title of emperor . Similar titles include great king and king of kings . The high kings of history usually ruled over lands of cultural unity; thus high kings differentiate from emperors who control culturally different lands, and feudal monarchs, where subordinates assume lesser positions. High kings can be chosen by lesser rulers through elections, or be put into power by force through conquest of weaker kingdoms. In history and literature, high kings may be found where there
4590-725: The Orkney Isles. Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans, being descended from the Norse Jarls of Orkney and the Pictish Mormaers of Caithness. The Hebrides are to this day known in Scottish Gaelic as Innse Gall , 'the islands of foreigners'; the irony of this being that they are one of the last strongholds of Gaelic in Scotland. The MacLachlan clan name means 'son of the Lakeland' believed to be
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#17327809614504680-619: The Ostmen assimilated into the English settler community throughout the 13th and 14th centuries. The Lords of the Isles , whose sway lasted until the 16th century, as well as many other Gaelic rulers of Scotland and Ireland, traced their descent from Norse–Gaelic settlements in northwest Scotland, concentrated mostly in the Hebrides . Clan Gunn (Scottish Gaelic: Na Guinnich) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern Scotland, including Caithness, Sutherland and, arguably,
4770-493: The Outer Hebrides, Shetland is a further 80 kilometres (50 mi) further northeast and Norway some 300 kilometres (190 mi) due east of Shetland. The total distance from the southern tip of the Isle of Man to the Butt of Lewis , the northern extremity of the Outer Hebrides, is approximately 515 kilometres (320 mi). The presence of the monastery on Iona led to this part of Scotland being relatively well documented from
4860-556: The action was continued by his successor Alexander III . This strategy eventually led to an invasion by Haakon Haakonarson , King of Norway. After the stalemate of the Battle of Largs , Haakon retreated to Orkney, where he died in December 1263, entertained on his death bed by recitations of the sagas. Following this ill-fated expedition, the Hebrides and Mann and all rights that the Norwegian crown "had of old therein" were yielded to
4950-608: The anchorites to leave... the nickname Kamban is probably Gaelic and one interpretation is that the word refers to some physical handicap (the first part of the name originating in the Old Gaelic camb crooked, as in Campbell Caimbeul Crooked-Mouth and Cameron Camshron Crooked Nose), another that it may point to his prowess as a sportsman (presumably of camóige / camaige hurley – where the initial syllable also comes from camb ). Probably he came as
5040-481: The country. Norse raids continued throughout the 10th century, but resistance to them increased. The Norse established independent kingdoms in Dublin , Waterford , Wexford , Cork and Limerick . These kingdoms did not survive the subsequent Norman invasions, but the towns continued to grow and prosper. The term Ostmen was used between the 12th and 14th centuries by the English in Ireland to refer to Norse–Gaelic people living in Ireland. Meaning literally "the men from
5130-645: The descendants of intermarriage between Norse immigrants and the Gaels. As early as the 9th century, many colonists (except the Norse who settled in Cumbria ) intermarried with native Gaels and adopted the Gaelic language as well as many Gaelic customs. Many left their original worship of Norse gods and converted to Christianity , and this contributed to the Gaelicisation . Gaelicised Scandinavians dominated
5220-439: The east" (i.e. Scandinavia), the term came from the Old Norse word austr or east. The Ostmen were regarded as a separate group from the English and Irish and were accorded privileges and rights to which the Irish were not entitled. They lived in distinct localities; in Dublin they lived outside the city walls on the north bank of the River Liffey in Ostmentown, a name which survives to this day in corrupted form as Oxmantown . It
5310-435: The great king") by the reign of King Mu (600–640 AD at the latest). However, after the Mongol Invasions of Korea , these rulers remained technically subordinate to the Mongol Empire and later China until King Gojong declared the Korean Empire in 1897 and assumed the title of Hwangje , or "emperor" (the Korean rendition of the Chinese " huang di "). Originally, the rulers of Wa ( 倭 ), an ancient name of Japan,
5400-399: The image, projected by recent clan-historians, of Clann Somhairle as Gaelic nationalists liberating the Isles from Scandinavians, it is quite explicit in our two extended narrative accounts from the thirteenth century, Orkneyinga saga and The Chronicle of the Kings of Man and the Isles , that the early leaders of Clann Somhairle saw themselves as competitors for the kingship of
5490-445: The islands of the Clyde under their father's supervision. Two years later Somerled's invasion of the Isle of Man caused Godred to flee to Norway, leaving the former as undisputed ruler of the entire realm. The Hebrides had been difficult to control from a distance since the days of Ketill Flatnose, and even in the time of Magnus Barelegs it is likely that de facto control was that of local rulers rather than nominal governance from over
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#17327809614505580-477: The islands, leaving the city to the invading forces of Diarmait Mac Murchada . Godred's dictatorial style appears to have made him very unpopular with the Islesmen, and the ensuing conflicts were the beginning of the end for Mann and the Isles as a coherent territory under the rule of a single magnate. The powerful barons of the isles began plotting with an emerging and forceful figure – Somerled , Lord of Argyll . Somerled's parental origins are obscure, but it
5670-414: The isles, was not intended to convey sovereign rule (that is, that of a High King ). This is different from the way the word was used in the emerging Kingdom of Scotland at the time. It should also be borne in mind that different kings may have ruled over very different areas and that few of them can be seen as exerting any kind of close control over this "far-flung sea kingdom". Precise dates are sometimes
5760-451: The isles. This arrangement did not last long. On 23 August 1103 Magnus was killed fighting in Ulster and the 14-year-old Sigurd returned to Norway without his bride. The next king was Lagmann Godredsson , Godred Crovan's son, who was apparently appointed with Sigurd's consent. He successfully fought off a rebellion by his brother Harald and after reigning for seven years he abdicated "repenting that he had put out his brother's eyes" and went on
5850-417: The king of Norway, with the Gaill of Orkney, the Hebrides and Dublin, to seize the kingdom of England, but God consented not to this". This monarch of Norway was Magnus Haraldsson , who may have used the death of Thorfinn as an excuse to exert direct rule of Orkney and the Hebrides. However, in the mid-11th century the Uí Ímair dynast Echmarcach mac Ragnaill is said to be the ruler of Mann. He
5940-477: The latter is recorded as having won "the battle of Man" in 987. Iona was sacked twice, in 986 and 987, Amlaíb Cuarán 's later piety notwithstanding. This battle of Man, recorded by the Annals of Ulster , is said to have been won by Gofraid and "the Danes" – possibly forces directly from Scandinavia under the command of Olaf Tryggvason . The Annals of Ulster record Gofraid's death in Dalriada in 989, describing him as "king of Innse Gall " although it
6030-410: The latter was slain. On 21 May 1237, Olaf died on St Patrick's Isle , and was succeeded by his three sons who all ruled the kingdom in turn: Harald (reigned 1237–1248), Ragnvald (1249), and Magnus (1252–1265). Magnus Olafsson was the last of the Norse kings to rule Mann, which was absorbed into the Kingdom of Scotland on his death. As with written records, the archaeological evidence for this period
6120-402: The mid-10th century. Hostility between the Kings of the Isles and the rulers of Ireland, and intervention by the crown of Norway (either directly or through their vassal the Earl of Orkney ) were recurring themes. The Laxdaela Saga contains mention of several persons who are said to have come to Iceland from Sodor, which appears to be these Suðreyjar , before or around the middle of
6210-454: The mid-10th to the late 11th century were buried on Iona. This may mean that Iona and Mull lay either within or close to the emerging Kingdom of Scotland. Furthermore, two records in the Annals of Innisfallen hint that the Western Isles may not have been "organised into a kingdom or earldom" at this time but rather that they were "ruled by assemblies of freeholders who regularly elected lawmen to preside over their public affairs". At this point
6300-401: The mid-6th to the mid-9th centuries. However, from 849 on, when Columba 's relics were removed in the face of Viking incursions, written evidence from local sources all but vanishes for three hundred years. The sources for information about the Hebrides and indeed much of northern Scotland from the 8th to the 11th century are thus almost exclusively Irish, English or Norse. The main Norse text is
6390-411: The news reached the chiefs of the Isles, who had already assembled to appoint him king, they were inflamed with great rage, hastened against him, and coming upon him in the night, set fire to the house in which he was, and destroyed, partly by the sword and partly by the flames, Ingemund and all his followers." The next recorded king was Godred Crovan's son Olave Godredsson , also known as "the Red" to
6480-475: The north and Ragnal's to the south. On Ragnal's death Sigurd re-asserted control, which he held until his death at the Battle of Clontarf after which the islands may have been held by Hákon Eiríksson . According to the Welsh text Historia Grufudd vab Kenan Olaf Sigtryggsson is recorded as having been king of a wide variety of places on his death in 1034. These included the Isle of Man, "many of
6570-533: The northern Scottish mainland and the Hebrides, where he "dyed his sword red in blood" in the Uists. According to the Heimskringla , Magnus had his longship dragged across the isthmus north of Kintyre in 1093 as part of his campaign. By taking command of his ship's tiller and "sailing" across the isthmus he was able to claim the entire peninsula was an island, and it remained under Norwegian rule for more than
6660-597: The other islands of Denmark", Galloway, the Rhinns, and Anglesey. Olaf was an Uí Ímair dynast and it is difficult to reconcile his rule with that of the Norwegians who apparently came before and after him according to the sagas. There is also an obscure reference in The Prophecy of Berchán hinting that King Máel Coluim mac Cináeda of Scotland may have been active in Islay and Arran at about this time, emphasising
6750-472: The other monarchs of the empire (three kings , six grand dukes , five reigning dukes and seven reigning princes ) as "president of the confederation". The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (literally "supreme lord") in Malaysia could probably be seen as a "high king", as he is elected from among nine Malay rulers of the states (seven sultans , a raja , and a Yang di-Pertuan Besar -literally "great lord") by
6840-457: The potentially fluid nature of Scandinavian, Norse-Gael and Scots influence during this period. The next recorded ruler is Sigurd the Stout's son Thorfinn the Mighty , who took control circa 1035 until his own death some two decades later. The continuing close alliance of the Isles with Norway is suggested by a record from the Annals of Tigernach for the year 1058: "A fleet was led by the son of
6930-457: The region of the Irish Sea until the Norman era of the 12th century. They founded long-lasting kingdoms, such as those of Mann , Dublin , and Galloway , as well as taking control of the Norse colony at York . The Norse are first recorded in Ireland in 795 when they sacked Lambay Island . Sporadic raids then continued until 832, after which they began to build fortified settlements throughout
7020-532: The sea by a short artificial canal. This loch was an important site for maritime activity for many centuries, spanning the Viking and later periods of Scottish clan rule. There is a stone-built quay and a system to maintain constant water levels. Boat timbers discovered there have been dated to the 12th century. Only three rune stones are known from the west coast of Scotland, on Christian memorials found on Barra , Inchmarnock and Iona. Gaelic continued to exist as
7110-498: The seas. Somerled took this to its ultimate conclusion, declaring himself an independent ruler of the isles from his power base in the southern Hebrides and Kintyre and he had, in effect, recreated Dalriada. There has been some debate about the source of legitimacy Somerled used. It has been suggested that claims of his descent from Gofraid mac Fergusa are "preserved in Gaelic tradition and accepted as broadly authentic by modern scholars". However, Woolf (2005) asserts that "contrary to
7200-518: The southern Hebrides to the Tynwald parliament on Man. Colonsay and Oronsay have produced important pagan Norse burial grounds. An 11th-century cross slab decorated with Irish and Ringerike Viking art found on Islay was found in 1838. Rubha an Dùnain , today an uninhabited peninsula to the south of the Cuillin hills on Skye, contains the small Loch na h-Airde , which is connected to
7290-415: The sovereign. In this model, a high king might be chosen from among a group of kings in his personal capacity, for instance by election or on the basis of genealogical superiority. Alternatively, the high kingship might be attached to the kingship of one of the constituent kingdoms, either permanently or when one kingdom is able to assert supremacy over the others. The high king's authority over other kings
7380-469: The territory. The islands have a total land area of over 8,300 square kilometres (3,205 sq mi) and extend for more than 500 kilometres (310 mi) from north to south. Viking influence in the area began in the late 8th century, and whilst there is no doubt that the Uí Ímair dynasty played a prominent role in this early period, the records for the dates and details of the rulers are speculative until
7470-593: The warring Mac Lochlainn clan in Ireland along with "the fleet of Galloway, Arran, Kintyre, Man, and the territories of Scotland" are recorded fighting a naval battle off Inishowen against the Ui Briain dynasty. During his reign the citizens of Dublin offered Godred the rule of the city, which he accepted. Then, according to the Manx Chronicle , he inflicted a heavy defeat on his erstwhile Mac Lochlainn allies, following which he and his chieftains returned to
7560-525: Was also King of Dublin from 1036 to 1038 and from 1046 to 1052 as well as possibly being the King of the Rhinns in Galloway, suggesting that the overlordship of the Isle of Man and the Hebrides were once again sundered (although it is possible he ruled over part or all of the Hebrides as well). Murchad mac Diarmata from the Kingdom of Leinster is then recorded as having control of Mann and Dublin followed by his father Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó ,
7650-696: Was besieged by Amlaíb Conung and Ímar , "the two kings of the Northmen", who "returned to Dublin from Britain" the following year with numerous captives. It is therefore likely that Scandinavian hegemony was already significant on the western coasts of Scotland by then. Amlaíb Conung is described as the "son of the king of Lochlainn " in the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland and Ó Corráin (1998) argues that Lochlainn "is Viking Scotland and probably includes Man" at this time suggesting an early date for an organised Kingdom of
7740-487: Was known as the "Grand King of Yamato " ( 大和大王 , Yamato-ōkimi ) or the " Kings of Wa " ( 倭国王 , Wakoku-ō ) prior to the 7th century. It was later changed to become the Emperor of Japan ( 天皇 , Tennō ). The title " king of kings " also expresses much the same concept as "high king" – it was used at various times by the Emperor of Persia ( shahanshah ) and the Emperor of Ethiopia . Similarly,
7830-579: Was named after Saint Patrick . A number of placenames named after the papar exist on Iceland and the Faroes. According to some circumstantial evidence, Grímur Kamban , seen as the founder of the Norse Faroes, may have been a Norse Gael: According to the Faereyinga Saga... the first settler in the Faroe Islands was a man named Grímur Kamban – Hann bygdi fyrstr Færeyar , it may have been the land taking of Grímur and his followers that caused
7920-522: Was not without incident. During his time Oitir Mac mic Oitir , one of the Hebridean nobles, took Dublin by force and held it for six years before his assassination in 1148. Oitir's son Thorfinn was described as the most powerful of the Hebridean lords in 1150. In 1152 Olave's nephews in Dublin rose against him and attacked Man, killing him in the process. Olave's son Godred the Black succeeded him and had his father's killers executed. Shortly thereafter
8010-606: Was once thought that their settlement had been established by Norse–Gaels who had been forced out of Dublin by the English but this is now known not to be the case. Other groups of Ostmen lived in Limerick and Waterford. Many were merchants or lived a partly rural lifestyle, pursuing fishing, craft-working and cattle raising. Their roles in Ireland's economy made them valuable subjects and the English Crown granted them special legal protections. These eventually fell out of use as
8100-606: Was used by the later rulers of the Korean kingdom of Koguryo (and Silla , albeit to a rarer extent) to rank themselves as equals to the Chinese emperors or to express suzerainty over surrounding states, particularly during the Three Kingdoms Era . Daewang (great king) was used by rulers of other kingdoms and subsequent dynasties, including Baekje , whose king assumed the style of Daewang Pyeha ("his imperial majesty
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